Ezekiel 23:37

Translations

Modern

For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to Me, in the fire as food for their idols.

Traditional

That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.

Literal

For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands; with their idols they have committed adultery, and even their sons whom they bore to Me, they made pass through the fire for them as food.

Latin

Quia adulteratæ sunt, et sanguis in manibus earum, et cum idolis suis fornicatæ sunt: insuper et filios suos quos genuerunt mihi, obtulerunt eis ad devorandum.

Original

Hebrew

English

For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols. They have even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to Me, in the fire as food for their idols.

Notes

Ezekiel 23:36–43

The prophet again took the role of a prosecuting attorney. A prosecuting attorney is a person who brings charges against someone in court. His task was to confront Jerusalem with her sins (detailed in Ezekiel 22).

Jerusalem and Samaria were supposed to be holy cities, set apart for God. Instead, they had become like worn-out prostitutes. This picture shows that they had been unfaithful to God. Their only attraction was their availability, meaning they were ready to give themselves to anyone.

The prophet used this strong image to show how serious their unfaithfulness was. They had turned away from the Lord and given their loyalty to other gods and foreign nations.

Ezekiel 23:1–49

This chapter, like chapter 16, tells the history of the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah. It does this through an extended metaphor (a comparison that continues through many verses).

In this comparison, Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities, are described as two immoral women. The language is strong and direct.

This metaphor shows that their judgment was certain and deserved.

Events

Prophecies of Ezekielc. 593 BC

Related verses

Ezekiel 16:36
This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them,
Ezekiel 16:38
And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy.
Ezekiel 16:20–21
You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough?
Jeremiah 7:31
They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.
Jeremiah 32:35
They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered My mind, that they should commit such an abomination and cause Judah to sin.
Ezekiel 20:26
And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 24:6–9
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now rusted, whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece; cast no lots for its contents.
Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
2 Kings 17:17
They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
Jeremiah 7:6
…if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm,
Leviticus 20:2–5
“Tell the Israelites, ‘Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land are to stone him.
Deuteronomy 12:31
You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Glossary

Adultery Aholah Aholibah Ezekiel, Book of Oholah and Oholibah

Topics

Idolatry: Wicked Practices of Human Sacrifices Idolatry: Wicked Practices of Licentiousness of Molech: Children Sacrificed To Offerings: Human Sacrifices: Israelites Prophecies Concerning Israel: Captivity of Great Wickedness is the Cause of Their Adversity

Ezekiel 23:37

Translations?

Original?

Notes?

Events?

Related verses?

Glossary?

Topics?